UN envoy Pekka Haavisto has arrived in Khartoum for Sudan peace talks focused on de-escalation, civilian protection and a political process

At least 37 people are feared dead in a Nigeria oil theft incident in Rivers State, with hazardous fumes blamed for many of the reported deaths

Kenya’s milk shortage is hitting chai drinkers as drought cuts dairy production, prices rise and the government considers temporary imports

Guinea has buried 36 victims of the Conakry landfill collapse, including 17 Sierra Leoneans, as thousands attended a mass funeral

African migrants in Yemen face trafficking, hunger and homelessness as thousands become stranded while trying to reach Gulf countries

The UAE has rejected allegations that it supplied weapons to parties in Sudan’s war as it responds to findings by a UN fact-finding mission

Chad CH-4 drones have reportedly been spotted at Abéché Air Base, although authorities have not officially confirmed acquiring the Chinese aircraft

Illustration: AI-generated with OpenAI The Sahara is famous for scorching temperatures, endless sand dunes and some of the driest landscapes on Earth. But every now and then, something unexpected happens. It snows. Snowfall has been recorded in parts of the Sahara, including around the Algerian town of Ain Sefra, where white snow has covered normally golden and red desert landscapes. It is rare, but there is nothing impossible about snow falling in the world’s largest hot desert. Why does it snow in the Sahara? The Sahara is extremely hot during much of the year, but being a desert does not mean it is always hot. Deserts are primarily defined by their lack of precipitation, not by temperature. During winter, parts of the northern Sahara can become surprisingly cold, especially at night. Ain Sefra also sits at an elevation of roughly 1,060 metres above sea level, helping temperatures fall much lower than people might expect from a Saharan location. When sufficiently cold air arrives at the same time as moisture, snow can form. The result is one of Africa’s most unusual sights: snow-covered desert dunes. The Sahara turned white in 2016 and 2017 One particularly famous snowfall occurred in December 2016. According to Britain’s Met Office, it was reported as the first snow in that part of the Sahara for 37 years. Then it happened again. In January 2017, snow covered parts of the desert, with some areas experiencing substantial drifts. The event was significant enough to be visible from space using NASA’s Terra satellite. Images of orange desert dunes covered by white snow quickly attracted attention around the world. Deserts can actually get very cold It may seem strange because deserts are usually associated with extreme heat. However, dry desert air contains relatively little water vapour. Without much moisture and cloud cover to retain heat, temperatures can fall sharply after sunset. Altitude can make conditions even colder. That means a winter day in the Sahara can be very different from the extreme summer temperatures usually associated with the desert. Snow is still unusual because cold temperatures alone aren’t enough. Moisture and suitable atmospheric conditions also need to arrive at the same time. When they do, parts of the Sahara can briefly look more like a winter landscape than one of the world’s great deserts. Africa is more climatically diverse than many realise The Sahara snowfall is also a reminder of Africa’s enormous climatic diversity. The continent contains tropical rainforests, Mediterranean coastlines, high mountains, savannas and vast deserts. Some African mountains even have permanent or long-lasting ice and snow at sufficiently high elevations, although these ice fields have been shrinking. So while seeing snow covering Saharan sand might look impossible, the science behind it is relatively straightforward. Even the Sahara can have a snow day.

Two WFP aid trucks carrying more than 50 tonnes of food were destroyed in an aerial attack in Sudan’s South Kordofan state

Tata Chemicals Kenya faces an uncertain future after President William Ruto told the company to leave, citing concerns over local investment

South Africa anti-migrant protest violence leaves five Congolese nationals, including two children, injured during clashes in Durban

Egypt Rafale deal could add 24 French fighter jets to Cairo’s fleet, potentially increasing the country’s total number of Rafales to 78

AU Sudan dialogue plans face opposition from Sudanese political and civil groups warning that the process could deepen divisions in the country.

Niger mutiny tensions ease as thousands rally in Niamey to support military leader Abdourahamane Tiani following the failed uprising.

Foreign traders in Kenya face a new crackdown as President William Ruto moves to reserve some small businesses for Kenyan citizens

Madagascar former Senate president Richard Ravalomanana receives a 10-year sentence over his alleged role in the deadly 2025 protest crackdown

Schools in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ituri province have reopened for the new academic year as communities grapple with an Ebola outbreak.

Nigeria has recorded 252 Lassa fever deaths as confirmed infections climb above 1,000

Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency says it fired more than 40 staff members for alleged corruption and financial misconduct

The crash killed at least 22 people and injured 28 others on a road in South Sinai

More than 3,000 people have died in Congo’s worst-ever Ebola outbreak as infections continue to spread

Xi Jinping’s first visit to Egypt in a decade highlights Cairo’s rapidly expanding ties with Beijing

Health Ministry figures show 6,100 confirmed Ebola cases and 2,950 deaths in the current outbreak across the country.

Activists say Kenya’s extradition law requires formal procedures that were allegedly bypassed during Besigye’s transfer to Uganda.